Sit-ins elements crossed all limits in telling lies: PM

HAVELIAN: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Saturday said that the elements orchestrating the sit-ins against national progress and prosperity had crossed all limits in telling lies, and he had never come across such repetition of pack of lies.

Addressing a big gathering here after performing the ground breaking ceremony of 60 km long Hazara Expressway costing Rs 33 billion, he said the expressway was part of his vision for a bright Pakistan.

The Prime Minister amidst thunderous applause and slogans also announced reduction in price of petrol by Rs 9.63 to Rs 84.53. He said the price of High Octane was also being slashed by Rs 10.61, Kerosene oil by Rs 4.34, and High Speed Diesel by Rs 7.12.

The decisions, he hoped, would also go well with the few participants of the sit-ins as they opposed anything positive.

The price slash, he expected, would translate into reduction of other goods prices.

He said the politics of sit-ins had been rejected by the masses, who knew that the PML-N was working for a prosperous Pakistan. He assured that Hazara region would be provided natural gas as soon as possible.

The Prime Minister said the motorway would be a part of the road infrastructure that would link it with the rest of the country. He said Hazara would be connected with Islamabad through tunnels, making it easily accessible.

He said work on the Bhasha Dam, the largest project of its kind in Pakistan, would commence soon. He said 1000 schools would be reconstructed in the entire area, besides the establishment of a university.

He said work on Lahore-Karachi Motorway would also start soon.

Nawaz Sharif also announced construction of a motorway from Peshawar to Landi Kotal that would eventually extend to Kabul.

He said this was the real “Nayya-Pakistan” (New Pakistan) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and was not merely a hollow slogan. He said the sit-ins were only leading to backwardness and unemployment.

He strongly criticized the spate of lies, allegations and dirty language that had now become a full time job of those who use the sit-ins to vent their frustration.

He said the young generation was being spoiled with the foul language being used at the sit-ins.

He said by constantly resorting to pack of lies could not bring transparency, `the people at sit-in have adopted such tactics but we will not respond to their flurries of foul remarks and indecent gestures. We speak the truth as people have massively caste votes in our favor.’

“Our candidates in the last elections with thumping majority defeated the opponents. At one constituency, I got about 145,000 votes while my opponent ended at merely 45,000 votes, but still they claimed rigging. In 2018 elections, the people will hold such elements accountable,” he added.

Lamenting the pathetic conditions in education, police and healthcare systems of KPK, the Prime Minister vowed to take the country to new heights of progress and prosperity.

He said that the PML-N government would lay new gas pipeline from Gwadar to Nawab Shah and from Iranian border to Gwadar and was determined to end gas paucity in the country.

“We are carrying out our responsibilities with vigor and trying to end the menace of terrorism. Pakistan will soon become an Asian tiger of the region,” he added.

He also decried the sit-in tactics which cost heavily on the country’s economy, adding that his government was trying to streamline the issues which were deteriorated during previous governments.

He said in collaboration with Chinese investment of about $40 billion, a vast network of development projects would be completed throughout the length and breadth of the country.

The railway line connecting Lahore to Peshawar via Hazara and Islamabad to Muzaffarabad, besides much delayed Lowari Tunnel in Chitral would be completed during the present PML-N government, he announced.

The Prime Minister said that despite sit-ins, the mega projects like motorways and universities were being completed.

This important road link forms part of Pakistan China Economic Corridor agreement. The 6-lane fenced expressway will cost Rs 33 billion. Hazara Motorway with 20 bridges and 15 underpasses will reduce the drive from Islamabad to Havelian to 30 minutes and provide access to the Havelian Dry Port project.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said the area would serve as a hub of all economic activities and the people will soon see the real change.

The project funded by the Asian Development Bank and Government of Pakistan- a translation of Prime Minister’s commitment to expand the networks of motorways to build a progressive Pakistan, would create thousands of employment opportunities and lead to socio-economic uplift of the whole region.

Governor KPK Sardar Mehtab Khan said that the Prime Minister had expressed his vision about the project during his last tenure which would bring an economic revolution in the entire region.

He expressed the hope that under PM’s dynamic leadership, the country would be able to regain its lost steam of glorious past during previous PML-N governments.

The law and order was the main issue interlinked with the progress and development and the tribal areas which were hit hard by the terrorism would now see a dawn of peace and prosperity.

He requested the Prime Minister to direct ERRA to reconstruct the quake-hit schools within six to eight months.

Deputy Speaker National Assembly Murtaza Javed Abbasi said that the promises made by the PM during elections would be accomplished.

The economic corridor would bring this area at par with Karachi in terms of progress and prosperity. The last federal and provincial governments repeatedly neglected Hazara division, he said and requested the Prime Minister for setting up university and supply of gas besides, reconstruction of 1000 quake hit schools.

Earlier, the PML(N) leadership of Haripur, Abbotabad, Kohistan and Battagram received the Prime Minister.